Genova has amassed a database of hundreds of thousands of complete stool profiles. Our data driven and evidence-based analysis ensures the highest standard of analytical validity and clinical utility.

When should the GI Effects Comprehensive Stool Profile be considered?

GI Effects assesses three critical areas of gut health: digestive function, gut inflammation, and the gut microbiome—areas affecting not only GI health, but overall health as well. For patients with symptoms that may have gastrointestinal dysfunction as their root cause, comprehensive stool diagnostics provide an effective tool for gaining clinical insight into next steps.

Assessing and normalizing GI function can have profound effects on overall health, leading to improvement in these and other conditions.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Diabetes

Obesity

Cardiovascular Disease

Celiac and Other Malabsorption Disorders

Mood Disorders

Autoimmune

Autism

The GI Effects Comprehensive Stool Profile can reveal important information about the root cause of many common gastrointestinal symptoms such as gas, bloating, indigestion, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation. This stool analysis utilises biomarkers such as Calprotectin to differentiate between Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

Gut microbes are codependent with one another and with their human host, and the health of one affects the other. A sizeable volume of research associates a dysbiotic, or imbalanced gut microbiome with multiple disease states both within and outside of the GI tract.1,2 The diverse metabolic activities of the microbiome ultimately impact the human host, and the activities of the human host ultimately affect the health of their microbiome.

The GI Effects Comprehensive Stool Profile Biomarkers

The biomarkers from the GI Effects Comprehensive Profile are reported using the DIG framework, providing key clinical information for three main gastrointestinal functional areas:

Digestion/Absorption:

Pancreatic Elastase-1 is a marker of exocrine pancreatic function.

Products of Protein Breakdown are markers of undigested protein reaching the colon.

Fecal Fat is a marker of fat breakdown and absorption.

Inflammation/Immunology:

Calprotectin is a marker of neutrophil-driven inflammation. Produced in abundance at sites of inflammation, this biomarker has been proven clinically useful in differentiating between Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).3,4

Eosinophil Protein X is a marker of eosinophil-driven inflammation and allergic response.

Fecal Secretory IgA is a marker of gut secretory immunity and barrier function.

Gut Microbiome:

Metabolic indicators, including short-chain fatty acids and beta-glucuronidase, demonstrate specific and vital metabolic functions performed by the microbiota.

Selection of a one-day or three-day sample collection is based on the clinician’s clinical index of suspicion for parasitic infection. If there is no/low suspicion, a one-day sample will likely be adequate. For high suspicion, a three-day sample collection is optimal.

Genova Diagnostics is excited to announce the addition of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for parasites to the GI Effects Profiles. PCR is a highly sensitive and specific methodology that detects an organism’s DNA.

The GI Effects now includes 6 PCR targets that detect common protozoan parasites:

Blastocystis spp. with reflex subtyping 1-9

Cryptosporidium spp.

Cyclospora cayetanensis

Dientamoeba fragilis

Entamoeba histolytica

Giardia

The 6 PCR targets replace the 3 EIA biomarkers. The GI Effects upgrade also includes several report enhancements for ease of use.

Additional Biomarkers Available:

Campylobacter

Clostridium difficile

Escherichia coli

Fecal Lactoferrin

Helicobacter pylori

Macro Exam for Worms

Zonulin Family Peptide

KOH Preparation for Yeast

What Advantage Does the Profile Offer Compared to Other Diagnostics?

A structured faecal biomarker panel offers the advantage of assessing multiple functional areas that may be contributing to symptoms. For example, diarrhea could stem from multiple causes including pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, inflammation, food allergies, or the presence of a pathogenic or potentially pathogenic organism. A positive result on one or more faecal biomarker tests may guide therapy, either by suggesting a treatable alternative diagnosis or by eliminating a diagnosis from further consideration. The latter allows individualised targeted treatment to be redirected to more likely diagnoses.5,6

GI Effects® represents the best technical available to assess the gut microbiome, combining:

The test report is organised so that the clinician may move through results in a logical order that enhances clinical utility, starting with innovative Interpretation-At-A-Glance pages to synthesise the information.